Form 8283

[Taxman1913]

I am using Turbotax Deluxe 2025 desktop version. Form 8283 is not populating correctly. For stock donations, in both the “Forms” method and the “Step-by-Step” method, I’ve input “Average Share Price” for the valuation method used but Form 8283 populates with “Comparative Sales”. If I try to override, I get an error message. In prior years, I could select Average Share Price for the stock donation valuation method. Average share price is the IRS suggested valuation method for stocks (IRS Publication 561). Does anyone know if, and when, Turbotax will be correcting this issue?

[MonikaK1]

Yes, as stated in Publication 561, If there is an active public market for the contributed stocks or bonds on a stock exchange, in an over-the-counter market, or elsewhere, the FMV of each share or bond is the average price between the highest and lowest quoted selling prices on the valuation date. For example, if the highest selling price for a share was $11 and the lowest $9, the average price is $10. You get the average price by adding $11 and $9 and dividing the sum by 2.

I tried entering a donation of stock in another Desktop return (Home and Business) and found that if i chose to Override the entry on the Contribution Worksheet to use Average Price, the Form 8283 would also show Average Price. However, the user should not need to Override the entry.

I will report this issue for further investigation; however, it would be helpful if you could also send us a “diagnostic” file that has your “numbers” but not your personal information. If you would like to do this, here are the instructions for TurboTax Desktop users:

1. From the black bar at the top of your screen, select Online
2. Click Send Tax File to Agent
3. Click Send on the message that pops up
4. TurboTax will create a "sanitized" copy of your return information with no personal info
5. Post the full token number here in this thread

We will then be able to review your file to see what you are seeing, and we can determine what is going on in your return and provide you with a suggested resolution.

[Taxman1913]

Hi MonikaK1 -

Thanks for your response.  As I had mentioned, I did an override on the Contribution Worksheet to reflect "Average Share Price" for the valuation method.  This resulted in "Average Share Price" being properly shown on my Form 8283.  However, the override on the Contribution Worksheet resulted in an error message.  My concern is that with the error message, I may be prevented from Electronic Filing.

As you stated, the user should not need to override the entry.  For stock donations, the user should be able to select "Average Share Price" for the valuation method and the Turbotax program should not default that to "Comparative Sales".

I appreciate you reporting this issue for further review.  This should be corrected so that "Average Share Price" can be selected as the valuation method for stock donations.

[Taxman1913]

Hi MonikaK1 –
As of February 20, 2026, this problem has not yet been corrected by Turbotax. The user still has to use an override on the Contribution Worksheet to reflect “Average Share Price” as the valuation method for stock donations (which is the IRS recommended valuation method for publicly traded stock donations). This results in an error message on the Contribution Worksheet which may prevent Electronic Filing.
You indicated you would report this issue for further investigation. Do you, or anyone associated with Turbotax, know whether this problem is being investigated so that it will be corrected? As I’ve said, this needs to be corrected so that "Average Share Price" can be selected as the valuation method for stock donations.
Thank you.

[Taxman1913]

Hi MonikaK1 or anyont at Turbotax -
Update as of 2/22/26. Turbotax has still not fixed their software error. When inputting the valuation method for a stock donation, Turbotax defaults to “Comparative Sales”.  I have to do an override on the Contribution Worksheet to reflect “Average Share Price” as the valuation method for stock donations (which is the IRS recommended valuation method for publicly traded stock donations). This results in an error message. Today I tried, but I could not e-file with this so-called “error”. To e-file, I would have to cancel my override and file my return with an incorrect valuation method. Any filer using Turbotax that has a stock donation will be forced to file with an incorrect valuation method unless Turbotax corrects their error.
Is Turbotax going to fix this software error? This is very frustrating.

[Mike9241]

I see the problem. You can select "average share price" when entering the data, but the 8283 will still show "comparative sales".     By deliberate design, any overrides prevent e-filing.

This issue did not exist in 2024. It seems that when the programmers rewrote the app for 2025, there was little or no testing. It was so much easier to enter things in the 2024 desktop apps, even using the interview interface rather than forms mode. Evidently, they're letting the users be the testers, pointing out all the bugs. Shame on Intuit 

[senator-subscript]

I have this same problem. Since I started working on my return in early January I assumed it was a bug that would be fixed with an eventual update. I check each time there is an update but still not fixed. It is March 5 and I just checked again and still broken.

I was hoping to see some info about if/when it would be fixed. Or if anyone knows if it matters if I file 8283 with "comparative sales" instead of "Average share price".

Thanks for reading.

[Taxman1913]

Hi senator-subscript -

Just wanted to let you know.  Monika K1 (Employee Tax Expert) indicated on 3/2/26:

"The issues with entries on Form 8283 and donations of stock have been reported by other users and have been elevated for investigation. It has since been confirmed as an issue by our development team.
We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and you can sign up here for updates.
In the alternative, as long as the dollar amounts are correct, you could also choose to continue to file."

So hopefully the issue will soon be resolved.

[NYGUY54321]

Hello,

I am having the same issue.   Please keep me updated as to when this is fixed so I can e-file my taxes.

Per the other user, when I manually override it causes errors and won't let me e-file.

[MarilynG1]

Key Reasons for Using Comparative Sales Prices:

• IRS Compliance: The IRS requires that stocks, bonds, and donated items be valued at their Fair Market Value (FMV) on the applicable date, which often translates to using specific, comparative selling prices rather than averages.
• Accuracy in Reporting: For non-cash charitable contributions (Form 8283), for instance, the valuation is based on what a willing buyer would pay for a similar item (comparative sales/FMV), not the average price of all items sold, to ensure precise, individualized valuation.
• Transaction-Level Detail: TurboTax has adopted stricter, transaction-level reporting on forms like Form 8949 to align with the IRS's emphasis on tracking individual, accurate transactions rather than averaged data, which is considered a more accurate representation of the taxable event.

@NYGUY54321 

[Taxman1913]

MarilynG1 -

In IRS Publication 561, "Determining the Value of Donated Property" , the IRS provides very specific guidance for valuing stocks and bonds.  See page 5, the section "Stocks and Bonds".  It states:

"The value of stocks and bonds is the FMV of a share or bond on the valuation date." It then provides a very specific description, as follows: "Selling prices on valuation date. If there is an active public market for the contributed stocks or bonds on a stock exchange, in an over-the-counter market, or elsewhere, the FMV
of each share or bond is the average price between the highest and lowest quoted selling prices on the valuation date. For example, if the highest selling price for a share was $11 and the lowest $9, the average price is $10. You get the average price by adding $11 and $9 and dividing the sum by 2."  Thus, to be IRS compliant, the valuation method to determine the fair market value for donations of publicly traded stocks or bonds should be the average share price.  Turbotax users should be able to select "average share price" for their valuation method and have it reflected properly on form 8283.  Turbotax has already acknowledged this needs to get this fixed and are working to resolve the issue.  Quoting from a post on 3/2/26 by MonikaK1 (Employee Tax Expert): "The issues with entries on Form 8283 and donations of stock have been reported by other users and have been elevated for investigation. It has since been confirmed as an issue by our development team.  We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and you can sign up here for updates."  I'll say again that it is very frustrating for Turbotax users that want to properly file their tax returns that Turbotax is taking so long to correct this issue.  

[senator-subscript]

MarylinG1, thank you for taking the time to write an answer. I see that you made a similar answer in an other almost identical thread. I am just a regular person and not a tax expert. I like doing my own taxes and understanding as much as possible. A plain reading of publication 561 strongly suggests, if not outright says, that the correct way to value a stock is average share price. Comparable sales is specifically mentioned when talking about other kinds of property. I welcome clarifying information showing why average share price is not correct? Perhaps there is an IRS ruling, or it is spelled out more clearly in another publication? Or maybe this is just something that tax professionals know but is not written down anywhere?

At the moment I still believe that "Average share price" is the proper way to fill out this form in this circumstance. But I also suspect that it doesnt matter much because no one at the IRS is going to look at it, and it doesn't change the numbers.